I'm going to Denver in a couple of weeks for work, bringing Wifey Dear along as it vaguely coincides with her birthday.
In all likelihood I'll complete my work obligations on Tuesday and leave us the rest of the week to do whatever.

So what's "whatever" out there?

She doesn't ski, or hike.
She likes good restaurants and hotel rooms with jacuzzi tubs.
We don't need to remain in Denver past Tuesday, and the rental has unlimited mileage so road trips are encouraged.

Ideas?

The Bigfella

05-25-2017, 08:29 AM

Well, if you mosey down to the southwest about 350 miles, you'll bump into my son. Say G'day, eh?

Figment

05-25-2017, 08:34 AM

The original plan had me moseying down to Albuquerque and Phoenix for work, but now those are off. And I'm not really a desert guy. More of a dessert guy, really.

sharpiefan

05-25-2017, 08:39 AM

Like astronomy? Got binocs/scope? Get out of town & do some stargazing through the clear, dry air.

Well I can tell you what NOT to do in Denver. Do not go to a local dispensary and buy some very large cannabis gummies, only to take one, wait an hour and think that they didn't work and then take one more for luck. :eek:

Simply put Renee & I lost a day in Denver because of that miscalculation.

Dan McCosh

05-25-2017, 09:28 AM

With a daughter and many relatives living in, near Denver, we spend a lot of time there. Don't get out all that much, but it's kind of a cafe town, with lots of eateries downtown and in the neighborhoods. The mountains are about an hour's drive, and then you get, well, mountain driving, scenery and all that. The people are too fit and healthy.

Bobcat

05-25-2017, 09:49 AM

I have enjoyed the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. Great dinosaur stuff

CWSmith

05-25-2017, 09:51 AM

https://youtube.com/watch?v=J34esa_aJxc

https://youtu.be/J34esa_aJxc

CWSmith

05-25-2017, 09:53 AM

Downtown Boulder, just about 20 minutes or so away, has some great microbreweries, a terrific tapas restaurant, and plenty of other places to eat. The street performers can be fun, too.

switters

05-25-2017, 10:07 AM

In Denver and close to downtown we have a great botanic garden, the Denver Museum of Nature and science has a pretty cool Vikings exhibit going on if you are more of the stay inside and cool in the afternoon. BOth of those are within a 5 minute drive of each other, with some good places to eat in that area.

Further suoth you can drive down to the Colorado Springs and visit the Garden of the Gods. Headed into the mountains about an hour from Denver is Estes Park, gateway to rocky mountain national park, and home of the Stanley Hotel made famous in The Shining. Lots of shopping and dining in the old town area but also very touristy. Lots of elk in the park. If you are feeling adventurous you drive trail ridge road. Breckenridge is a nice mountain town with all of the amenities and would make a nice destination for an over nighter.

Up north there is Fort Collins with its many microbreweries, bike trails and classic old town area.

FishoutaFlorida

05-25-2017, 10:10 AM

Further suoth you can drive down to the Colorado Springs and visit the Garden of the Gods. Headed into the mountains about an hour from Denver is Estes Park, gateway to rocky mountain national park, and home of the Stanley Hotel made famous in The Shining. Lots of shopping and dining in the old town area but also very touristy. Lots of elk in the park. If you are feeling adventurous you drive trail ridge road. Breckenridge is a nice mountain town with all of the amenities and would make a nice destination for an over nighter.

Red Rocks on the west side is gorgeous. Shopping, dining & drinking, entertainment, spectacular scenery. http://redrocksonline.com/

Cherry Creek Center to kill some time shopping and munching. http://www.shopcherrycreek.com/

Catch a Rockies game at Coors Field. http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com/col/ballpark/

There's lots of little hole in the wall cafes/restaurants in the ball park area.

The old Tivoli Brewery is interesting.

Jim Bow

05-25-2017, 12:40 PM

Head to Golden and ride the Galloping Goose.
http://coloradorailroadmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/07-Rio-Grande-Southern-Motor-7-Galloping-Goose.jpg

Figment

05-25-2017, 12:43 PM

In Denver and close to downtown we have a great botanic garden, the Denver Museum of Nature and science has a pretty cool Vikings exhibit going on if you are more of the stay inside and cool in the afternoon. BOth of those are within a 5 minute drive of each other, with some good places to eat in that area.

Further suoth you can drive down to the Colorado Springs and visit the Garden of the Gods. Headed into the mountains about an hour from Denver is Estes Park, gateway to rocky mountain national park, and home of the Stanley Hotel made famous in The Shining. Lots of shopping and dining in the old town area but also very touristy. Lots of elk in the park. If you are feeling adventurous you drive trail ridge road. Breckenridge is a nice mountain town with all of the amenities and would make a nice destination for an over nighter.

Up north there is Fort Collins with its many microbreweries, bike trails and classic old town area.

Perfect!
When Wifey Dear asked me what I wanted to do with our downtime, my response was "I dunno, have a look around, see some mountains and ****... basically re-enact the opening sequence of The Shining but with happier music."

(She was not amused.)

leikec

05-25-2017, 01:22 PM

Head to Golden and ride the Galloping Goose.
http://coloradorailroadmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/07-Rio-Grande-Southern-Motor-7-Galloping-Goose.jpg

Also, a ride on the Georgetown Loop can be fun.

Jeff C

Chip-skiff

05-25-2017, 01:31 PM

Downtown Boulder, just about 20 minutes or so away, has some great microbreweries, a terrific tapas restaurant, and plenty of other places to eat. The street performers can be fun, too.

You could spend a couple hours on Boulder's Pearl Street Mall (a pedestrian area a few blocks long). Specialty shops, some great places to eat (Jax fish place, some local food cafés, Mateo) and a really good bookstore. A drive up Boulder Canyon is a quick scenic jaunt.

In Denver, I like the Wynkoop Pub and the Tattered Cover Bookstore.

Jim Bow

05-25-2017, 01:31 PM

And I've been told that the REI store in Denver is worth a visit just to see the building.
http://gbdmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/7531643188_50e1a75e80_k_Photos-by-Kent-Kanouse.jpg

Bobcat

05-25-2017, 03:12 PM

I was in that REI and it was an impressive building. I was in the basement (I think) picking out tent pole pieces from a bin of spares. My tent poles slipped off the back of my motorcycle and a semi ran over them before I could snag them.

Chris Smith porter maine

05-25-2017, 03:28 PM

Poudre canyon is lovely it's about an hour and a half away and close to Fort Collins which mentioned above has some good micro breweries.

Vince Brennan

05-25-2017, 06:14 PM

Garden of the Gods is astounding. I last saw it when I was eight and I've never forgotten the Helen Hunt Falls.

Dan McCosh

05-25-2017, 06:35 PM

Downtown Boulder, just about 20 minutes or so away, has some great microbreweries, a terrific tapas restaurant, and plenty of other places to eat. The street performers can be fun, too. Boulder is more like an hour away. College town.

Dan McCosh

05-25-2017, 06:37 PM

I have enjoyed the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. Great dinosaur stuff It is a nice museum. The Molly Brown home is also pretty neat, if you like boat stuff. (Lifeboats, that is.)

bamamick

05-25-2017, 06:41 PM

Colorado is a dreamland, imo. If you can't find things to do there you aren't trying. All of my kids have lived there, and one just moved back. I love the place.

Mickey Lake

McMike

05-25-2017, 06:41 PM

Shotgun Willie's.

Hwyl

05-25-2017, 07:04 PM

A nice local place with a great happy hour is 730 South at (amazingly) 730 South University,http://www.730south.net/, if you go there (it's not worth an expedition) finish off the meal at Bonnie Brae Ice cream on the opposite corner .

And I've been told that the REI store in Denver is worth a visit just to see the building.
http://gbdmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/7531643188_50e1a75e80_k_Photos-by-Kent-Kanouse.jpg

"My Brother's Bar" is next door. It's a burger and fries hangout. It claims to be the oldest bar in Denver, which is not saying much, but if you go to REI, go there.
Edit, it's shown on the Warren Zevon video.

Hwyl

05-26-2017, 09:19 AM

As an architect, you might be interested in Denvers public art. There's some rule that a percentage of building costs must be used for public art.

There's the evil looking prancing horse, you'll see when you leave the airport (I presume yoou know that much of the airport is made with tent like structures made from reinforced pvc cloth. I think it's Tedlar) the horse fell and killed it's creator, which adds to it's evil.

Then there's the rather nice, in my opinion, Big blue bear. It's at the convention center.

The high park fire burned much of the lower poudre canyon, and there are plenty of nice canyons to drive closer to Denver. FYI, shotgun willies is a adult entertainment.

In the event that you do hang out in the city center and like art and architecture there is also the Denver Art Museum which is a D. Libeskind design building. Very unusual architecture, I'll leave it at that.

Cheers,

Hwyl

06-21-2017, 09:32 AM

So, did you go?

Figment

06-21-2017, 10:17 AM

To shotgun willie's? no.
Nor REI, nor Golden, nor a lot of other stuff that will have to wait until the next time.
We didn't do much, really. Mostly we luxuriated in the opportunity to sleep past 0530.

Denver-Boulder-Estes Park-Denver
Arrive in Denver, and wifey is having a tough time with the altitude. We went for a bit of a stroll, and had to get a car back to the hotel. We met a friend of hers for dinner nearby.
After visiting a couple of customers, we make our way to Boulder, which felt a lot like Burlington VT to us.
After a bit more worktime, we proceed to Estes Park. Somehow I was not expecting this to be such a tourist trap. The stanley hotel was not worthwhile, we would've been much more comfortable in one of the many smaller roadside/creekside motels.

The drive through Rocky Mountain National Park (grab a map, find route 34 "trail ridge road") was outstanding. We didn't linger for long, wifey still having trouble with the altitude was not enjoying herself above 10,000', but that is just an outstanding place on this planet.
And of course as we leave the park on the other side in Grand Lake, we need to cross back over again to return to Denver so it was back up to 10,000', this time via route 40 and I70, which while more expeditious was still a fantastically scenic drive.

We had a late flight out on Friday, so we spent the middle of the day at the Denver Art Museum.
I get why a lot of people don't like Libeskind, and yes the canted walls do create some challenges for presenting artwork, but some of those cants and nooks create some equally awesome opportunites as well. I dig it.

and yeah, United airline is working HARD to repair their PR disasters.